Hansard

The Scottish Parliament—rightly—always recognises the international day of disabled people, and we should be very proud of that. However, this year sees a marked and significant change, for two reasons. First, for the first time, the day of recognition is celebrated with not just a members’ business debate, but with a full Government debate. I put on record my thanks to the Government for bringing that debate to the chamber and ensuring that the Parliament has a full afternoon in which to address issues of key importance not just to disabled people, but to Scotland. The significance of doing so cannot be overstated.

Secondly, last weekend, we held the first-ever summit to celebrate the international day of disabled people here in the chamber. It was an absolute privilege to look out over the benches and see them full to the brim with disabled people and their organisations and allies, with many more joining in online. It was an incredibly special moment, and I cannot express enough my thanks to my colleague Jeremy Balfour, the Presiding Officers and their team, and the staff of the Parliament for making it happen and ensuring that the event was a warm, welcoming and celebratory one that everyone enjoyed.

I have always said that there should be nothing about us without us—indeed, we have heard that this afternoon—and I have, during my time in Parliament, fought to ensure that that is the case. The event made it clear to the disability movement that this place—our Parliament—belongs to it too. I hope that, in years to come, we will see more of that.

The international day of disabled people was first declared back in 1992, when I was just 11. Just over 30 years later, the world has changed—in some ways quite significantly. Structural barriers have been torn down by legislative change. I want to take a moment to recognise the work of my party in that context, specifically the work of the Labour Government of the early 2000s. It introduced working tax credits to support disabled people to get back to work; it passed the Equality Act 2010, which enshrined our rights to be treated equally in domestic legislation; and it signed us up to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Scottish Government, too, has made progress by introducing the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, which gave us a right to direct our own care; reopening the independent living fund, although that has taken too long; and signing up to the definition of independent living, which recognises that living independently is not about living on your own or fending for yourself, but about having the right to practical assistance and support, and the right to lead an ordinary—or, indeed, an extraordinary—life.

Those changes have been life changing for disabled people. I say that from my own lived experience and from what I have heard from the movement. However, the job is not yet done. Too many barriers still exist, and there is much more work to do. There is never time to be complacent or self-congratulatory. Disabled people are still disproportionately more likely to be in poverty and to have lower incomes but higher living costs. The consequences of not being able to make ends meet can be life limiting, threatening not just our right to thrive, but our right to survive.

It is becoming increasingly harder for disabled people to pay for care that they rely on. In April this year, Glasgow city health and social care partnership hiked up charges for people who require non-residential social care. The Govan Law Centre estimated that some people could face a 65 per cent increase.

A woman from Glasgow said to researchers:

“I always feel like Damocles Sword is above my head as my Care Plan has not been re assessed since July 2022 and I have had many care changes. My care contribution has been increased by £42 a week. My increase with Working Tax Credit and PIP is £18.93 p/w. I already cut my budget in half because of utility bills but now I am very stressed.”

That should not be happening, least of all in a Scotland in which the Government said, years ago, that it would end non-residential charges.

In addition, inaccessible transport means that we cannot move freely around. It means that we often have to rely on cars or taxis instead. That puts us significantly out of pocket. Even when we can afford them, using taxis and cars is becoming more of a struggle. Members will have heard me talk about concerns in Glasgow, where disabled people feel left behind in the journey to net zero. The subway is not accessible for wheelchair users, buses can take only one wheelchair or pram at a time, and train travel requires a lot of planning. Now, as a result of a hastily implemented low-emission zone in the city, the black cabs that we turn to instead are slowly disappearing from the streets.

It is not just our freedom of movement while travelling that is a problem; there is a lack of properly accessible affordable homes, too. The challenges that we face as a group have been called a “human catastrophe” by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission has warned that the

“Scottish Government has not done enough”

to realise disabled people’s human rights. All of us in the chamber, and other chambers, should heed that today, tomorrow and every day thereafter.

Against that backdrop, we in the Labour Party are deeply concerned that disabled people’s organisations believe that the gap in political leadership has led to disabled people feeling deprioritised and dehumanised at a time when they should be a focus of our Government. That is why I do not think that the Government’s motion goes far enough to recognise the challenges that are faced. That backdrop is also why I make no apology for being disappointed that the Feeley report has not been implemented; frustrated at delays to the immediate priorities plan—the priorities are no longer immediate but overdue; and angry that the Government has not yet ended non-residential charges.

It does not have to be this way. With bold and swift action, we can make Scotland the land of opportunity for disabled people that I know it can be. That starts in school, yet we are failing large numbers of disabled pupils. More than a third of pupils in Scotland identify as having an additional support need, yet ASN support is in decline. We need to fix that and ensure that children have the support that they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

That also means that we have to help children properly prepare to leave education. We heard in the debate last month on my Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill how badly we are failing them. I cannot fully express my disappointment that the Government and others chose not to support that bill and give all young disabled people a right to a transitions plan, but I said then and reiterate now that I will not let the issue be forgotten. I will continue to hold the feet to the fire, and I will not stop fighting for change until we make a difference.

I will close on that note. Despite all the negative odds, disabled people and our allies have shifted the dial over the past 30 years. We have pushed doors open and changed laws when Governments have been bold enough to support that. Sometimes the fight can feel endless, but our achievements come despite the challenges, and the wins have come because we have refused to give up. We will keep pushing forward for our goal of human rights and transformation, and we in this place have to have the courage and ambition to stand beside disabled people.

I end with a message to disabled people across Scotland. Be proud and be vocal; you have rights—keep fighting. It might take time and it will take effort, and you can be sure that it will take a lot of hard graft, but I know that our movement is not scared of that, and I promise you that, as long as I am in this place, for me and my party, your fight will be our fight. There will be nothing about us without us.